What's Your Motto?

Anny came home from school the other day and told us that in one of her classes, the teacher asked then to come up with a personal motto, something that they live by. This was hers:

Take life by the throat and scream at it with the colors of your life. 

Pretty impressive, right? 

Then, I asked her what she thought my motto would be and she she said I had a few: 

If it gets used up, it becomes garbage. Throw it away.

Ummmm, ok? 

I suppose that's something I say a lot, but is that my motto? Is this what she is going to remember me for? But also, we should throw our trash away because that's being a good citizen.

Then, she also added this one:

Suck it Up.

OK, we all know that is something I say and YES! It's true. You might be hurt, but rub some dirt on it and move on. Don't wallow in your problems! (note to self)

But again, is that what they are going to remember me for? I've got to do better. You'd think after 29 years of parenting, I would have figured it out by now. 

After much consideration, I thought about what I thought was my motto and this is what I would have said:

Your Mom Loves You!

I hope I showed it in all the events I showed up for, all the practices I drove you to and from, all the ice cream I bought after a music or drama performance. 

I hope know it was out of love that I asked you to get your chores done because I was trying to teach you to be a good person who valued their space and the space of others. 

I hope you knew you were loved when I held you as you cried and if I didn't cry in front of you, I cried after you left because there's nothing that makes me more sad than to see my children struggle.

I hope you felt my love when I prayed for you all those times that you pushed me away when I wanted to help or when I did or said the wrong things. I didn't know what else to do so I prayed you would come to me because I loved you so much. 

I hope you knew that all those music lessons were my way of showing you I loved you and I wanted  you to explore all the different talents you've been given. Also, I wanted you to feel the love of the Savior through music, just like I do. 

Every time I took you somewhere I didn't want to be, let you stay out later than I could stay up for, planned parties that stressed me out or listened to your really super long and uneventful and unorganized details of your day, it was because I love you. 

Remember when you came home from school to hear me ask you how your day was? That was me showing you how much I loved you by spending most of my day taking care of  you and trying to be there for you.

Every time I give you a hug or ask you for a hug, it's because I want you to know I love you!

For those who didn't have me home the last few years, remember that I was doing that so your dad could be around more by not having to travel to Phoenix for work because I also love him. I'm working from home now because I love you all. 

So, can that be my new motto? 

Your mom loves you!

I vote yes.